CHAPTER Six - Am I Handsome?

A Meeting on the Mountain

"Young Miss."

Wu Zheng's deep voice pulled Lin Xue out of her thoughts.

She blinked rapidly, realizing she had been staring.

Feeling embarrassed, she forced a smile. "Young Master, let me take you somewhere nice. We can talk better there."

Without waiting for his response, she turned and led the way.

They arrived at a high mountain plain, offering a breathtaking view of the entire kingdom. From here, they could see everything— the bustling streets, the vast fields, the winding rivers. The only thing missing was the imperial palace, its towering walls obstructing the view.

Lin Xue plopped down on a small rock and patted the space beside her. "Sit."

Wu Zheng obeyed without a word.

Lin Xue, never one for wasting time, dove straight into her interrogation. "What's your name?"

"Wu Zheng."

"Your age?"

"Eighteen."

"Family name?"

"Wu family."

Her brows furrowed. "Merchant? Or what?"

Wu Zheng hesitated. He didn't want to reveal his royal identity.

Lin Xue tilted her head curiously, waiting.

After a brief pause, he finally replied, "Politics and people."

Lin Xue nodded, accepting his vague answer.

Then, she hit him with the real question.

"Do you have a lover?"

"Please say yes. Please say yes," she begged silently.

"No."

Lin Xue's expression darkened instantly.

"Why don't you have one?!" she burst out, glaring at him like he had committed a crime.

"Shame on you," she thought. "You're so handsome, and you don't even have a woman? Ridiculous!"

If Wu Zheng could hear her thoughts, he would have choked on air.

His response was calm. "Dedication."

That single word left Lin Xue speechless.

She huffed and moved on to her next question.

"Do you want to marry me?"

"Say no. Please say no," she pleaded internally, gripping the hem of her sleeve.

"Yes."

Her eyes twitched.

Her rage exploded.

"WHY?!" she yanked at his sleeve, glaring at him like he had stolen her last meal.

"I'm too young! I just had my marriageable-age ceremony yesterday! This is unfair!" she whined dramatically.

Desperate to sell her act, she tried to force out tears.

She wiped her eyes.

Nothing.

She wiped again.

Still nothing.

Her act had failed miserably.

"Damn it! Why can't I cry on command?! He's going to see through me!" she panicked internally.

Meanwhile, Wu Zheng was deep in thought.

"She's already of marriageable age, so why is she so against it?"

For the first time in his life, he doubted himself.

"Am I ugly? Is there something wrong with me? Am I too cold? Should I have smiled more?"

The brilliant and ruthless Emperor of Wu was having an existential crisis.

Not wanting to embarrass herself any further, Lin Xue shot up from her seat.

"My grandfather must not catch me outside. We'll talk later—same time, same place."

She turned to leave, but paused.

Looking over her shoulder, she declared, "Until I say yes, I don't agree to marry you."

Then, with a dramatic flick of her sleeve, she harrumphed and ran away.

In her mind, she cursed, "Stupid handsome man! Why does he want to marry me?!"

Wu Zheng, still seated, touched the bridge of his nose.

A slow smirk played on his lips. "You dare?"

At his silent command, fifteen bodyguards emerged from the shadows and knelt before him, awaiting orders.

What came next left them dumbfounded.

"Am I handsome?"

The feared and ruthless Emperor of Wu had just asked if he was attractive.

Silence.

The bodyguards, trained in battle but not in answering such absurd questions, exchanged awkward glances.

Finally, one brave soul cleared his throat and answered, "Your Majesty is… the most handsome man in the kingdom."

Wu Zheng smirked. "Good. Let's go back."

With that, the Bachelor Emperor stood and disappeared into the night.